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2012 The Year of the Rookie and the Triple Crown | Preview of the New 2012 Season Player Cards

Mike Trout had as great of a rookie season as we have seen since perhaps Fred Lynn’s
MVP Rookie year in 1975. Trout did something in his rookie year no other MLB player has ever done – hit 30 HR and steal 49 bases and score 129 runs in a single season. How will Trout’s DYNASTY League Baseball player card look in 2012? For one thing, even though Trout hits right-handed, he hit RH pitchers (.346 BA/.588 SLG) much better than LH (.267 BA/.493 SLG). After all the highlights what should you expect for Trout’s range rating? The answer is “A” Range for Trout bases on his excellent +34 Fielding Bible plus/minus rating, very good 2.70 Range factor and 13.9 UZR/150 rating. Perhaps the weakest part of Trout’s tools is his throwing arm which is a tick below average (look for a +1 below average throwing arm rating). Trout is a burner and is built like an NFL defensive back – look for an outstanding “10” Baserunning rating on his player card.

Miguel Cabrera at bat in DYNASTY League Baseball Online for Windows and Apple Mac in Comerica Park

Fred Lynn’s 1975 season isn’t the only Red Sox season similar to some of the 2012 player performances. Carl Yastrzemski’s 1967 Triple Crown season for Boston was the last triple crown season up until Miguel Cabrera put up a .330 BA with 44 HR and 139 RBI in 2012. Cabrera’s 2012 season DYNASTY League Baseball player card is rare air and a must have. By hitting .420 BA/.720 SLG with RSP/ 2 outs, Miguel Cabrera is 2012’s poster boy for the Clutch Hitting rating repeating his great Clutch Hitting performance in 2011. The AL had back-to-back triple crown winners in 1966 when Frank Robinson won it followed by Yaz in 1967. Wouldn’t it be cool if there was another triple crown winner in 2013?

Bronx bombers? You bet. The Yankees hit 245 HR in 2012 which was the most HR in a season by a Yankee team and there have been plenty of great power hitters for the Yankees so consider this 2012 Yankee team special. There will be sure to be “A” power ratings across the Yankee lineup from Robinson Cano, CurtisGranderson, Mark Teixeira and Nick Swisher.

Looking for surprises? How about the NL RBI leader Chase Headley NOT getting a Clutch Hitting rating based on his .203 BA/.338 SLG with RSP/2 outs. Then there is 19-9 Johnny Cueto NOT getting a JAM rating after allowing a BA/SLG of .261/.493 with RSP/2 out. Stephen Strasburg was hardly dominating in JAM situations with a .292 BA/.415 SLG with RSP/2 outs.

Jon Jay earned an “A” range on his 2012 DYNASTY League Baseball player card

Defensively Jon Jay continues to improve each year and in 2012 he earned “A” Range/100 Error rating / 0 (average throwing arm) in CF. Ryan Braun also continues to improve defensively in LF earning “B+” range and a good “-1″ throwing arm. Braun was second only to Desmond Jennings in LF with a +16 Fielding Bible plus minus. Jason Heyward had an outstanding year defensively in RF earning a rare “A+” Range rating and very good “-2″ throwing arm. Heyward had 5 kills in RF and easily the best Fielding Bible plus minus of +40.

At the extremes of Range ratings at ss were Brendan Ryan “A” with the best Fielding Bible plus minus (+28) and Derek Jeter “D” with the worst Range factor of 3.76 and a Fielding Bible plus minus of -26.

The 2012 season player card set will once again have 990 full color player cards. 2012 season player cards will begin shipping in late November on a first-in first-out basis. You can place your order at the new Ticket Window.

If you pre-order the 2012 season board version player card set, you will qualify to be sent a digital version of the 2012 World Series teams. To receive your 2012 World Series teams please send an email to orders@designdepot.com with “2012 World Series” in the subject of the email.

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